Success with Strength Training

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Success with Strength Training
by Jesse Cannone CFT, SPN, CPRS
from Lose the Back Pain
Strength training is the most effective way to turn your body
into a fat burning machine and stay in great shape! It is the
most productive form of exercise there is! In order to be
successful with strength training there are some basic principles
that must be followed if you want to receive the many benefits
which strength training has to offer! The three most critical factors
are progressive overload, intensity and recovery.

Progressive overload simply means that you must force your
muscles to work harder each time. That means you can't use
the same weight every workout, regardless of how many sets
or reps you do. The best way to do this is by attempting to
increase the resistance / weight used and, or increase the
number of repetitions performed at each workout.

Intensity is also very important. You must force your body to
increase its strength. For example, if you typically do 3 sets of
10 reps on the leg press at 115 pounds, and your legs are capable
of doing 16 reps, why is your body going to make any improvements?
Your body will only add muscle if you force it to work at a higher
level than it is used to. The most effective way to overload your
muscles is to perform one or two sets per exercise, and continue
each set to muscular failure. That means continuing each set until
no more repetitions are possible. Challenge yourself!

Once you have overloaded the target muscle group you must then
allow for proper recovery and over compensation. This means you
must rest long enough to allow for recovery of the targeted muscle
group, the nervous system, refill glycogen stores (energy stored
within your muscles), and also allow enough time for the muscles
to make improvements or increases. This process takes time.
Generally, it takes between 2-7 days to recover from a strength
workout! The harder you work the longer it takes your body to
repair. Don't short-circuit your progress by strength training too
often!

Basic Guidelines for Successful Strength Training
· Strength train no more than three times per week!
· Perform 1-2 sets per exercise!
· Choose 1-2 exercises for small muscle groups and 2-3 for
large muscle groups. (ex. 2-3 exercises for legs, back, chest,
and 1-2 for arms, shoulders, etc.)
· Choose no more than 8-10 exercises and work hard on them!
Always keep a record of all workouts! Take each set to failure
or fatigue!
· Perform each exercise SLOWLY! Force the muscle to do
the work -- NOT momentum!
· As soon as you see a slow down in progress it's time to make
a change to your program!

Below are some sample workouts and frequently asked
questions regarding strength training.

Full-body Workout 1-2 x per week (approx. 30-40 mins.)
Lat pull-down 2 sets Chest press 2 sets Leg press 2 sets
Lateral raise 1 set Bicep curl 1 set
Triceps pushdown 1 set Leg curl 1 set
Leg extension 1 set

Upper / Lower Split
2-3 x per week (approx. 25-40 mins)

A. Upper
Seated row 2 sets
Shoulder press 2 sets
Lat pull-down 1 set
Pectoral fly 1 set
Lateral raise 1 set
Bicep curl 1 set
Triceps pushdown 1 set

B. Lower
Leg curl 2 sets
Glute machine 1 set
Leg press 2 sets
Leg extension 1 set

Frequently Asked Questions
Q. How do I lose the flab on the back of my arm or my
spare tire?
A. It is physically impossible to only lose fat in one area.
What you can do is decrease body fat by burning more
calories than you consume. Increase muscle tissue with
strength training and burn more calories all day long,
even while you are sleeping!

Q. How often should I strength train if my goal is to
burn fat?
A. 2-3 times per week would be great! You will build
muscle tissue, which burns calories 24 hours a day, and
you will decrease the chance for excess calories to be
stored as fat!

Q. What if I don't want to bulk up? I just want to tone.
A. If it were that easy to bulk or get big nearly every guy in
the gym would be huge] Women generally don't have the
genetic potential to build large muscles due to hormonal
differences. Plus, don't forget that adding muscle tissue to
your body is a good thing! It makes everything you do much
easier, reduces the chance for injury, and increases your
metabolism!

Q. How many sets and repetitions should I do?
A. This will vary depending upon your goal. If you are training
to increase strength, due fewer sets but higher intensity (1-2 sets
to failure per exercise). If training for muscle size, perform
multiple sets (2-4 sets, but only 1 to failure). The number of
repetitions will vary also depending upon the speed at which
you move the weight and your goals. In general, shoot for
8-12 reps.

Q. What are the benefits of strength training?
A. Strength training, if done correctly, can make some major
changes to your body and mind! Here are just a few:
1. Increased metabolism
2. Increased strength and flexibility
3. Increased muscle tone
4. Reduced stress levels

_________________

Jesse Cannone from Lose the Back Pain is a certified personal fitness trainer, post-rehab specialist,
nutritionist, and a national fitness presenter

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